Golf clubs are formed through a variety of methods. Commonly, a golf club head is forged or cast, and then machined to the requisite dimensions and quality. The weight, balance, and performance characteristics of a golf club can be manipulated by selectively adding weight to the club heads. Typically, weight is added by applying thin strips of lead tape with an adhesive backing to the club head. In this manner the swing weight is increased and the center of gravity is altered to change the dynamics of the head during the swing and, therefore, the ball flight characteristics after contact. The location of the lead tape, however, is generally limited to the back, crown, and sole of the club heads, where it would best stay affixed and not alter the appearance of the club.
In other instances, a change in weight of a golf club head has been usually accomplished by drilling a hole in the club head, and either leaving it void if the weight is to be reduced, or filling it with heavy material, such as lead, if the weight is to be increased. It will be appreciated that this manner of adjusting the swing weight is not very satisfactory in that it does not provide a very finite or sensitive adjustment. In addition, the adjustment is irreversible in that once the hole is drilled, the club may never be returned to its original characteristics.
Additionally, a common practice is to inject a hot melt glue or similar material into a hole in the club head during final assembly to arrive at a prescribed swing weight. The location that the glue puddles and adheres to the inner walls is determined by the orientation of the head while the glue is still hot and fluid. This technique is also used to customize the center of gravity of the club head for specific golfers' needs. The location of the glue, however, is generally limited to one broad area due to the closed process, and once the glue is set, the glue is not adjustable.
Numerous innovations have been provided in prior art that are adapted to apparatus and method for fabricating weighted golf club heads. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, however, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,504,380 to Reitenour discloses a double faced symmetrical golf club that allows placement of weights inside the club head by boring a plurality of cylindrical interconnected cavities and pouring molten metal into the cavities until the cavities and connecting holes are filled, and allowing the metal to harden inside the club head.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,466,047 to Connelly et al. teaches a golf club head having a weight plug with a threaded, recessed bottom surface having threaded recesses to receive threaded adjusting weights to adjust the balance the weight of the club head.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,991 to Cornell discloses a golf club iron head comprising two separate parts that are manufactured by a forging process and by a screw machine process, and to unite the parts to form a complete head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,023 to Enomoto et al. describes a wood-type golf club head having an FRP shell having a cavity at the center of gravity and a foam resin core, wherein the resin is infused into the FRP shell cavity in the form of fine beads or solution. The cavity is closed by a support plate. A plug as a weight balance adjusting piece is screwed into the support plate in direct contact with the foam resin core for secure holding of the weight balance adjusting piece during use of the club.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,055 to Rennie describes an oversized metal wood golf club head having a nonmetallic insert secured to a cavity formed in ball striking face of the club. The insert is secured in the cavity by adhesion which is enhanced by channels formed in the insert cavity and hollow columns formed in the insert to achieve a larger sweet spot on the ball striking face of the club.
U.S. Pat. Application No. 20020128089 to Sillers et al. describes a metal-wood golf club having a removable sole plate that exposes one or more recessed cavities within the sole, into which lead tape or another suitable weighting material can be inserted to achieve precise weight distribution and modifying the center of gravity within the head.
U.S. Pat. Application No. 20140221125 to Day describes methods and systems for selecting and fabricating individualized golf clubs or golf club components. The golf club components include custom golf club heads fabricated using laser cutting to produce a plurality of flat structures from which a portion of a club head is constructed.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for fabricating weighted golf club heads have been developed in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. Thus a method and apparatus for fabricating weighted stabilized wood golf club heads for facilitating enhanced control of balance, mass, center of gravity, and moment of inertia during operation of the golf club head is needed.